Interoperability & HIE

Strategic Health Information Exchange Collaborative Appoints New Interim Executive Director

March 30, 2017

The Strategic Health Information Exchange Collaborative (SHIEC), the national trade association of health information exchanges (HIEs), announced it has hired Pam Matthews, R.N., to perform interim executive director duties for the nonprofit organization.

Heather Landi

SHIEC, which is based in Grand Junction, Colo., also launched a search for a permanent executive director, “taking the opportunity to identify health IT leaders capable of taking the helm of an organization that represents many of the largest, most established and dynamic health information exchanges (HIEs) in the country,” the organization stated.

The SHIEC board initiated this process when Bob Steffel stepped down from the executive director position on March 22 due to personal reasons, the organization stated in a press release.

"Bob has been integral in getting SHIEC to its current level. Today the organization represents 49 HIEs, and associated business and technology partners, that touch the lives of more than half of all Americans. As with all dynamic organizations, change will happen," Dick Thompson, SHIEC Board Chair, said in a prepared statement. "We welcome Pam Matthews as the interim executive director, a woman uniquely qualified to fill this role and continue our rapid progress. With Pam on board, I know we'll have solid leadership as we begin a comprehensive, nationwide search for the permanent director."

Matthews is an accomplished information technology leader with over 25 years of experience focused on healthcare information technology, strategic planning, IT operations and clinical informatics. She worked for several years at HIMSS where she directed the Society's initiatives related to health information exchange, according to SHIEC’s press release.

HEALTHeLINK." data-reactid="9" type="text">The SHIEC Board has established a search committee to find a permanent executive director. This committee will be under the leadership of Dan Porreca, executive director of HEALTHeLINK.